Lymph Node Metastases Diagnosed by ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT in Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer Treated With Concurrent...

To evaluate whether factors related to the clinical staging of lymph node (LN) metastasis diagnosed by ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) correspond to poor survival in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

A total of 69 patients with curative intent and no prior treatment for ESCC or simultaneous treatment for synchronous cancers were investigated. A maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on the highest image pixel in the LN ≥2.5 was considered positive. Location of the involved LN and its impact on survival were analyzed.

In the univariate analysis of location, metastasis of the abdominal site, regional abdominal LN, and left gastric LN station negatively affected overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Other adverse clinical factors influencing OS included T4, clinical stage IVA and body mass index <21.2. In terms of DFS, a further unfavorable factor was primary tumor SUVmax ≥10.4. Abdominal site LN metastasis affected both OS and DFS in multivariate analysis.

LN metastasis diagnosed by PET/CT in abdominal sites was an independent predictor affecting both OS and DFS in ESCC patients who underwent curative CCRT.